PAGCOR continues war of words with Quezon mayor

March 13, 2019

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has again hit out at Quezon City’s acting mayor over her stance towards a planned integrated resort in the area, saying she should have played a more active role during the planning process.

Bloomberry Resorts, the operator of the Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila, is aiming to start construction of the mass-market targeted resort later this year.

PAGCOR regulates and issues casino licenses in the Philippines, though it needs a Letter of No Objection from the local government where the entity will be located. That was issued on Jan. 10th, but since, the acting Mayor Joy Belmonte has said she will pass an ordinance putting an entrance fee on locals.

PAGCOR accused Belmonte of abdicating her responsibilities for passing the Letter of No Objection to Acting Presiding Officer Roderick Paulate.

“If the matter of gaming is so abhorrent to the Acting Mayor, now candidate for Mayor, why did she not preside in this important council session and made known her objections to gambling to the body?” PAGCOR said.

It was the second statement in two days from the regulator targeting Quezon authorities. On Monday, PAGCOR warned that the local government had no jurisdiction when it came to the regulation of licensed casinos and therefore could not pass an ordinance placing restrictions on locals gambling.

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